Returning to Amestris
by Ray by Another Name
Summary: The inner workings of Mei's head as she travels back to Amestris from Xing. Al/Mei, light Winry/Ed, Rated K  for safety, Mei's POV. 2nd Anime.


The September fic for my 12-Month Goal _and_ the birthday fic for my friend Zai (Moirail-Ninja). :)

The inner workings of Mei's head as she travels back to Amestris from Xing. Al/Mei, light Winry/Ed, Rated K+ for safety, Mei's POV.

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><p>I was starting to grow quite tired when I finally saw the outlines of Ishval in the distance. It had been a while since I had travelled west. Grinning to myself I sped forward, startling my traveling companions. Honestly, I just could not help it, I had been looking forward to this for six months.<p>

I was going to visit Alphonse. He had come east to learn alkahestry, but had returned to Amestris when his brother Edward had gotten married. That was the last time I saw Alphonse, when I had visited for the wedding. Now…I am coming to stay, hopefully, forever.

My companions shook their heads at me as I giggled, I was just so giddy!

It would take us another hour or so to reach the city, and I soon found myself thinking of the first time I had journey west. When it was just me and Xiao-Mei journeying across the desert with little supplies. This time I was traveling alone with some Xingese traders to Ishval and then taking a train to Resembool.

That was another reason I was excited, my journey meant I would once more see my dear friend Scar, who was taking up residence in Ishval last I heard. Along with Loki and some other old friends.

I blushed when I remembered how obsessed I was with Edward on that journey at first. Thinking he would be my Prince Charming and return to Xing with me forever. That crush lasted all of three seconds after I actually met him…

I still have a hard time believing HE is related to Alphonse. Alphonse is so kind, caring, and as sweet as candy with everyone. Edward was…brash…and temperamental. I guess Winry evens him out, she and her wrench.

My laughter drew eyes again, making me blush as I tried to suppress the memory of Winry hitting Ed over the head with a wrench at their wedding.

"_So tell me, Fullmetal, how did you get a girl like Winry here to agree to marry _you_?" Roy Mustang taunted the blonde. He was the same as ever, black hair falling into onyx eyes as he surveyed the room. His uniform had a few more commendations, but otherwise there was no change to speak of. Hawkeye, as always, stood behind him shaking her head at his antics. Riza had let her hair down for the occasion, which framed her face and brought more attention to her red eyes. She had opted to wear a red dress rather than her uniform, much to Mustang's delight. _

"_What's that suppose to mean?" Edward ground out, his gold eyes narrowed as he glared at the slightly taller man. His blond hair had grown since the last I had seen him, but he kept it tied back per usual. It was funny to see him in a tux, although it did give me an idea what Alphonse might look like in one. From my spot in front of the two arguing men I surveyed the room, looking for said Elric brother. _

"_I'm sure he just meant that you're really lucky to get such a great catch as Winry," Alphonse's voice eased the tension, although making me jump at the same time. I had not expected him to show up behind me, and as I looked sideways up at him he wrapped an arm around my waist. We smiled at each other and he winked at me. I looked him up and down, barely containing a nosebleed as I saw his tux. He looked absolutely delectable! _

"_Yeah, lucky," Edward grumbled, folding his arms in annoyance. Mustang and Alphonse both seemed a little surprised by his reaction, but it was quite obvious to me that he was just nervous about the coming ceremony. _

_Out of nowhere a wrench flew and slammed into Ed's head, knocking him to the ground. Before anyone could question it, a voice yelled from behind a curtain, which a slim arm was already withdrawing behind, "I better not hear you talk like that again, Edward! Or I _will _withhold sex for our entire honeymoon!" _

_Edward visibly paled at that, still picking himself up. He stuttered out an apology to the curtain that hid Winry, who refused to let Edward – and by extension Alphonse and I – see the wedding dress she wore until the ceremony. Something about tradition and superstition. Alphonse had explained it to me. Speaking of which, he picked that moment to pull me into a private corner for a quick, romantic kiss. _

Alphonse. I sighed to myself dreamily as my thoughts returned to the younger Elric. Before I had returned to Xing we had been quite close, we sat for hours talking about anything and everything. He would run his hands through my black hair and look at me like I was the only girl in the world… No one could make me feel as unique and special as Alphonse could. Or as beautiful really. No matter how insecure I felt Alphonse could make me feel like the most gorgeous woman in the world without even trying. Which, honestly, when you are surrounded by women like Winry and Lan Fan it is hard not to feel a little…well…unattractive.

"_Uhm…Alphonse?" I murmured nervously as I walked out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. He looked up from the book he was reading, seeing me he sat up on the bed and tried to hide the bright blush on his face. He stuttered slightly as he tried to say something, but I did not let him finish. I held up two outfits in front of my scantily clad body, "Which looks better to you?" It took him a second to stop staring at the night-dress I was wearing, which Winry had bought me while smirking one of _those_ smirks._

"_I guess…the pink?" Alphonse tilted his head slightly as he answered, still thinking. Then he broke out grinning, "Definitely the pink. It's classic Mei and it accents your flawless skin nicely." I nodded, throwing the green outfit over the back of a chair before heading back into the bathroom. I could feel his eyes following me and tried not to blush at the attention; Alphonse was the only man I knew that looked at me like that. _

_I stared into the mirror for a while after dressing, playing with my hair. My mother had recently told me that the braids I always wore made me look like a little kid. I needed to look more adult, like the woman I was. Like Lan Fan, with her beautifully elegant court dresses. She only wore them when Emperor Lin ordered, but she was the most beautiful woman in all of Xing when she did. Sighing, I pulled out all the ties and ran my fingers through my hair. Lan Fan always wore hers down when she dressed elegantly, so that was probably what I was suppose to do._

_When I walked back out of the bathroom with my hair down Al seemed surprised, "Are you going to wear your hair down today?" When I nodded he crossed his arms stubbornly, "But you're going out, you always where it up then." _

"_Mother thinks the braids make me look like a child, and she's right," I replied with a small sigh, "I need to appear more like a woman of my age and status." _

"_Eh, so why do you have to wear it down?" Alphonse asked again, apparently not happy with this development._

"_Lan Fan wears it down," I pointed out, and added as an afterthought, "As does Miss Winry and Hawkeye when they are not working." _

"_So?" Alphonse pouted, not giving up, "I'm the only one that has seen your hair down, and I like it like that." I blushed slightly at that, he was always pulling my hair out of the braids to play with it, but only when we were alone._

"_Then how should I wear it?" I said pointedly, hands on my hips as I leaned over him, waiting for a response._

"_Uh…" Alphonse blushed, his eyes struggling not to sweep over my body, "How about tying the braids behind you in some sort of pretty knot?" I narrowed my eyes slightly, teasing him with my fake skepticism before I gave him a quick peck on the check and flew back into the bathroom. _

"_Thank you Alphonse!" I laughed cheerfully, much more confident as I rebraided my hair and tied them together in the back to make loops. _

I still wore my hair like that actually. I placed a hand on the back of my head, making sure the clip was still holding my hair tightly. It was funny how Alphonse acted; he was so calm most of the time. So child-like and innocent. And then he would do something like look down my top when I leaned over him. That was how you knew he and Edward were related. Edward spent a lot of time fondling and ogling Winry when I was there last, Alphonse was at least subtle with his perversion.

"Ha!" I said aloud, laughing at my own thoughts sarcastically. Alphonse could no longer be called subtle after what happened on the train when I left! That was _anything _but subtle.

"_But do you _have_ to go?" Alphonse whined slightly, pouting at me as he helped me with my bags onto the train. His eyes were pleading with me to stay, and if I did not have duties to attend to in Xing I might have given in._

_I placed a feather light kiss on his lips, "I'm sorry, but I do. I am still committed to teaching another six months of alkahestry to the Yao bodyguards." He nodded, crestfallen. I smiled at him softly and looked at Xiao-Mei, "How would you like to stay with Alphonse for a while? Until I get back, so he's not all alone."_

_Alphonse gaped at me, he knew how close Xiao-Mei and I were. "Are you sure?" Alphonse asked both of us after Xiao-Mei jumped from my shoulder to his._

"_Of course," I grinned at him, "This way I have two reasons to come back." At that Alphonse pulled my against him, ignoring the crowd of people who were suddenly all looking at us. His lips melded to mine ferociously, unable to contain his emotions._

"_I'll miss you," he breathed as we finally pulled apart. I blushed and gave him one last peck before stepping onto the train. He waved as it began to depart._

"_You won't have time to miss me!" I yelled back with a grin as the train began to pick up speed. And I could see him laughing at that. _

I shook my head at the memory, smiling as I finally stepped into Ishval. I waved good bye to my travelling companions and walked towards the center of town. My train would not be here until the morning. I stopped suddenly as I stared at a fountain.

It sat there, shining with sparkling water, in the center of the city. And sitting on the edge was none other than Alphonse. Xiao-Mei sitting on his shoulder and tugging on his short blond hair.

His brother, finally taller than him was doting over his apparently pregnant wife. The Elric family was laughing together, blond hair flying in the nightly wind. And that was when it hit me. They were my family, and I had not just missed Alphonse during my time in Xing. I had missed them all.

Excited at seeing them I raised forward, slamming into Alphonse with a giant hug. His golden eyes sparkled in surprise as he grinned happily at seeing me. Even if I had pushed him into the fountain…

"Mei!" Winry laughed as the water splashed her.

"What?" I smiled, sitting on Alphonse in the middle of the fountain. I did not care that everyone was watching us and Alphonse did not seem like he would be letting go any time soon.

"It's good to have you back," Winry told her, a hand on her rounding belly, "You're just in time for the birth of the newest Elric." Her smiling face and glittering blue eyes looking down at me had me feeling giddy as Alphonse picked me up and pulled us both out of the water.

"The family is all together again," Edward grinned down at Winry, placing a small kiss on her belly, "We've just got to wait for this little guy."

"Eh? Who says it's going to be a boy?" Winry yelled at him, her temper flaring. I tuned them out as the couple began to bicker, and I looked up at Alphonse.

"Miss me?" I asked shyly, and he gave me a quick peck on the lips.

"Since the second you left."

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